Read the rest of MVRDV, Shigeru Ban and More Create Architecture For Dogs—With DIY Instructions

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Post tags: "green furniture", Animals, Architecture, Architecture For Dogs, Atelier Bow-Wow, DIY, dog, Hara Design Institute, instructions, kennel, Kenya Hara, Konstantin Grcic, man’s best friend, modern pets, Muji, MVRDV, recycled cardboard tubes, Recycled Materials, toyo ito

As J.R.R Tolkein once wrote, “In a hole in the ground there lived a hobbit. Not a nasty, dirty, wet hole, filled with the ends of worms and an oozy smell, nor yet a dry, bare, sandy hole with nothing in it to sit down on or to eat: it was a hobbit-hole, and that means comfort.” The hens living in these handcrafted Hobbit coops by Wooden Wonders would certainly agree! Each coop is built out of pine by a family in Maine and able to hold 5-15 chickens – and you can customize them with your choice of paint, shingles, and interiors.

Read the rest of Hobbit Hole Chicken Coops Bring the Beauty of the Shire to Your Backyard

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Post tags: advantech, chicken coop, dwarves, ents, hobbit hole, jrr tolkein, lord of the rings, Maine, wooden wonders

Although more expensive and less durable than their plastic counterparts, biodegradable cat litter boxes have some sustainable aspects that shouldn’t be ignored by feline owners. Designed by French Studio-aparte, the Ecolite recycles waste paper into a molded paper pulp litter box. And not only does the box take little energy to produce, it can also be broken down and flushed or composted at the end of its useful life!

+ Studio-aparte

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Post tags: Animals, biodegradable cat litter, cat litter, compostable, green materials, green products, modern pets, paper pulp, Recycled Materials, recycled paper, recycling / compost

2011 saw no shortage of eye-opening news over at Inhabitots – Inhabitat’s site for green parents and kids. In the past year we saw researchers discover arsenic in apple juice, we were enchanted by a LEGO re-creation of a WALL-E robot, and we were both grossed out and intrigued by a man opting to sustain himself solely on his wife’s breast milk. Check out which Inhabitots stories rose to the top six this year, and be sure to cast your vote for your favorite!

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Post tags: green stories, op 6 inhabitots stories of 2011, top baby stories, top green stories, top kids stories for 2011, top news for kids 2011, top stories inhabitat, top toddler stories

Read the rest of DIY: Homemade Pumpkin Peanut Butter Doggie Cookies That’ll Have Your Pup Drooling

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Post tags: DIY, do it yourself, dog biscuits, dog cookies, dog treats, homemade, homemade dog treats, peanut butter, pumpkin, pumpkin Peanut Butter Doggie Cookies, treats, vegan dog treats, vegetarian dog biscuits, vegetarian dog treats, veggie dog treats

This beautiful bird house by Sophie Conran will give feathered friends in your neighborhood a safe place to roost, nest and start a family! It’s made from sustainable FSC wood and it sets up in a snap – simply hang it a few feet above the ground from a branch or post and wait for your feathered friends to arrive! Conran’s collection also includes a feeder that encourages birds to visit your garden and scoop up a few tasty treats on their travels.

+ Sophie Conran

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Post tags: backyard bird houses, bird feeders, bird houss, bird nesting box, bird watching, classic birdhouses, colorful birdhouses, eco birdhouses, green birdhouses, sophie conran

Whether you’re battling a high of 100 or sitting a little comfier in the 80′s, check out our links roundup for some sure fire ways to beat the heat and have some fun while doing it. From making your own delicious popsicles at home, to teaching youngsters about water conservation, to getting crafty at the beach, hit jumps for some fun summer ideas!

READ MORE >

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Post tags: beach ideas, beat the summer heat, diy ideas, diy summer ideas, Homemade Popsicles, petey rojas, popsicle molds, stay cool in the summer, teaching kids about water, water conservation, watermelon pop

A lucky stray dog in China recently received the royal treatment with an expansive doghouse made from a recycled refrigerator! Designed by studio Y-town, the sectioned doghouse is made from an old refrigerator that has been turned on its side and upgraded with a slanting roof.

Read the rest of Y-town Recycles Old Refrigerator Into Dog House for Adopted Pup!

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Post tags: Chuichui, dog house, eco design, green design, Huangpu River, recycled dog house, Recycled refrigerators, shanghai, sustainable design, y-town

There’s nothing more adorable than seeing a smiling kid – but when that same tot gets in one of his or her terrible moods, even the most darling child can start to look like the spawn of the devil. Luckily if you have a smartphone, one quick way to quiet down that munchkin is to distract them with one of  the many innovative, toddler-shushing apps available today! Check out our list of the top 5 entertaining and engaging apps that are sure to keep your little one entertained, educated, and most importantly, extra-quiet!

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Inhabitat dog owners listen up!

Looking for ways to green life with your furry four-legged friend?

Considering all of the things that ‘man’s best friends’ do for us, it’s only natural that we’d want to pay them back by providing them with a healthy and green home. But what many people don’t realize is that some of the most common products we use to take care of our dogs can actually be harmful to both them and the environment (and no one wants that!). If you want to green your best friend’s regime, we’ve got some helpful and simple tips right after the jump, so check it out!

Read the rest of HOW TO GREEN YOUR PUP: Creating a safe environment

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Post tags: eco design, eco dog, eco doghouse, eco dogs, eco pet, eco pet care, eco pet products, eco pets, green design, green dog, green dog products, green doghouse, green pet, green pet care, green pets, green your dog, milk bone, sustainable dog

The next time your umbrella turns inside out beyond repair, think about mailing it to Taryn Zychal and giving it a second life. Recycling Zychal upcycles rescued umbrellas into hoods, umbrella dog rain coats, and organic cat nip filled kitty toys. Based in Philadelphia, her team takes their rule “No Broken Umbrella Left Behind” very seriously – scouring through trash in search of discarded umbrellas after a hard rain. Her styles have become quite worldly with donations of umbrellas coming from as far as France. For every broken umbrella donated to Recycling Zychal, the company donates $1 to a list of animal assistance organizations, shelters and causes.

+ Recycling Zychal

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Post tags: Cat Toys, green design, Hoods, inhabitat, Pet Coat, Recycling Zychal, Sustainable Cat Toys, sustainable design, Sustainable Pet Coats, Sustainable Pets, umbrella, upcycling

Flatpack furniture seems to be all the rage these days. Made from 100% recycled cardboard, the Loyal Luxe Cat Chalet takes kitty living to the next level with an amenity packed palace. With interchangeable ornamental decorations, playing balls, and a textured cardboard carpet for the interior, forget a dog’s life, these cats know where it’s at!

READ MORE AT INHABITOTS >

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Post tags: 100% recycled cardboard, cat cabin, eco cats, flatpack cat house, flatpack furniture, green cat house, Loyal Luxe Cat Chalet, recycled cardboard cat house, sustainable cat house

Imagine having flora and fauna living inside the bricks of your building! A snow-white style fantasy? Not according to the designers of ‘Brick Habitats’ – bricks that have a little pocket for plants to grow and birds to hang out in. While most of the other entries into our massive Reburbia competition to find bold, new solutions to fix up suburbia propose large-scale solutions for the re-organization of housing or land use, Brick Habitats by Chooi-leng Tan envisions a much subtler change to the suburban landscape. These built-in brick coves are like mini-condos that attract native wildlife back to the suburbs!

Read the rest of Brick Habitats: Mini-Gardens for Habitat Restoration

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Post tags: Gardening, habitat restoration, plant restoration, reburbia, space revitilization, suburb re-design, suburban sprawl, wildlife rescue

We tend to run through umbrella’s pretty quickly in New York and there isn’t much to be done with them when they die. But Taryn Zychal, a Philidelphia-based industrial designer, is taking broken-down umbrellas and making raincoats for dogs out of them. These super cute coats are made from stripped-down umbrellas, scraps of fabric, thrift store buttons, and contrasting stitching. Taryn’s pugs, Betty and Hurley, love their cozy raincoats, which are both stylish and functional. Her submission to our DIY Spring Greening competition is inspiring and fun, and you should vote on it now.

VOTE FOR YOUR FAVORITE SPRING GREENING DESIGN >

Read the rest of Upcycled Umbrella Raincoats Keep Dogs Dry

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Post tags: diy design contest, Doggie Raincoat, found design, green design, household reuse, industrial design, inhabitat spring greening diy design contest, Recycled Materials, refurbished furniture, sustainable design

File this under – sure, but why? This cute-but-totally-gratuitous solar-powered birdhouse is made by OOOMS, Dutch designers of products like the Twig USB drive. During the day, a solar panel mounted on the roof charges a small interior battery. At night, the landing perch lights up in anticipation of bugs who are addicted to the glowing brightness of nightlights. The idea is that birds can use the light to attract their prey close to their bed for a nighttime snack. Sounds like a good idea, because who says birds shouldn’t enjoy some nighttime outdoor lighting?  We think this thing should be on a timer though — keeping a perch lit after 2 am is asking for a flock of birds starting some trouble.  Strangely enough, these solar birdhouses are hot-ticket items at Charles & Marie (sold out when we checked!), but you can find them for sale at the OOOMS website.

Read the rest of Solar Bird House: Late Night Bird Hangout

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Post tags: birdhouse, eco gardening, ooom dutch design, solar bird house, solar gardening products

Most dogs feel slighted while camping. Humans get fancy, engineered tents to crawl inside and stay warm, cozy, and out of the elements. Some dogs get a bed roll and a toy, but lucky dogs get a luxurious Houndstooth Dogtent made by John Santos, founder of New York-based graphic design studio Common Space. This dogtent is collapsible, made from biodegradable plastic and will make your pup more stylish out-of-doors than you.

Read the rest of Houndstooth Dogtent: For The Most Discerning Pup

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Post tags: biodegradable dog tent, biodegradable plastic tent, dog camping tent, eco dog tent, green design, green design for pets, sustainable design

The debate is still out on what kind of puppy Malia and Sasha will get. It seems the choices have been narrowed down to two dogs – a Labradoodle or a Portuguese Water Dog, both are very sweet, cuddly, and soft, not to mention hypoallergenic, which was a main criteria in deciding what kind of puppy to get. Now that they are getting closer to having a First Dog, the Obama Family needs to discuss housing options. We’re excited to announce that Sustainable Pet Design has created a house specifically for the Obama Dog and modeled it after traditional presidential architecture. Their Greenrrroff Animal Homes are customized pet homes made from red cedar with beautiful green roofs.

Read the rest of A Green Roofed Dog House for Obama’s New Puppy!

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Post tags: "sustainable architecture", dog house, Green Building, green roof, low voc paints, obama puppy, obama sustainable dog house, summa canum

We spoil our pets and it’s ok. For many of us they are our children, our confidants and our friends – of course we love making them comfortable and happy as well as safe and healthy. Fortunately, a new wave of eco-friendly and healthy pet products have come along so we can be sure that we’re providing the best for our furry loved ones.

Read the rest of GREEN GIFT GUIDE: For Pets

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Post tags: eco design, eco friendly pet care, green design, holiday gift guide for pets, inhabitat green pet gift guide, inhabitat holiday gift guide, sustainable petcare

Ruff Wear is known for their tough dog toys and gear: stuff that lasts and makes hikes and playtime a lot more fun. This past year, Ruff Wear came out with a line of eco-sensitive gear, made from recycled materials and natural non-toxic rubbers. Inhabitat Test Dog, Cooper, recently had the opportunity to play with Ruff Wear’s new eco-sensitive line. While we admit that the dog will play with anything, especially sticks, he has grown awfully fond of his new toys. And after 2 months of tossing, gnawing, and tugging on them, they still look brand new. So for all of you with dogs who can destroy a new toy in minutes, Ruff Wear’s line of eco gear is definitely worth checking out.

Read the rest of REVIEW: Ruff Wear’s Eco-Sensitive Gear for Dogs

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Post tags: eco dog toys, eco pet toys, eco-friendly gear for pets, eco-friendly pet toys, eco-sensitive gear for dogs, ruff wear

Move over Michelle Kaufman, these new prefabs will leave you and your pet drooling. LA-based Sustainable Pet Design combines green design, healthy living, non-toxic paints and your pet to create this sustainable Greenrrroof Animal House. Now man’s best friend will feel confident that his home has a low environmental impact and that he or she isn’t inhaling toxic fumes all night long.


Read the rest of Eco-friendly Prefabs for Pets: Greenrrroof Animal Homes

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Post tags: Chris Isner, eco-friendly dog houses, green roofs, healthy pets, non-toxic animal homes, Stephanie Rubin, sustainable design pets, Sustainable Pet Design